Electronic image sensors are widely used to produce video and photographic images. CMOS image sensors are typically used in lower-cost applications, while CCD image sensors are widely used in higher cost applications. CMOS image sensors offer the ability to integrate the pixel sensors and related circuits on a single substrate, which lowers the costs of CMOS image sensors as compared to CCD image sensors. However, CMOS image sensors are subject to oversaturation when imaging very bright objects (such as the sun). Oversaturation of the CMOS image sensor may result in very bright objects appearing dark instead of bright within the picture.
An appreciation of the present invention and its improvements can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are briefly summarized below, to the following detailed description of illustrated embodiments of the invention, and to the appended claims.